Heartland Inc ,magazine subscription "service" Misleading phone call leading to dunning Des Moines, Iowa
Someone from Heartland (telemarketer) called me in September 2009, implying that they had been handling my magazine subscriptions. Of course when one receives a call such as this it's difficult to go check on when the subscriptions actualy do run out, or what company handles them--so I "renewed" and was told I would receive the necessary paperwork. Additionally, I had to shout down many additional subscription offers, which i didn't want, whether free, discounted, or otherwise.
When the paperwork came, it was dated September 2, and stated that if I wished to cancel I had to return it (so marked) within 10 days. It was already more than 10 days past September 2--of course I realize that mail does sometimes get misdirected or delayed, and this *might* not have been Heartland's fault--but neither is it mine. Additionally, the "contract" listed an additional magazine i had NOT agreed to. I returned the "contract," marked CANCEL, along with a letter indicating my displeasure and the reason I was cancelling.
However, each month since then, Heartland has charged my credit card (although the credit card company, thankfully, has cancelled each payment and credited my account). Heartland has continued to call and insist that my account is in arrears, that I must pay up, etc. I have referred them to my letter. They insist they have to see the postmark to know whether I am right that my "contract" was late in arriving. (They simply don't answer as to the misleading call, or the unwanted magazine.)
My regular magazine subscription company has since told me that this company is indeed doing this to many subscribers.